When the Stars Go Dark

 

“When the Stars Go Dark” by Paula McLain

Published by Random House

Finished 4/6/21 – 4/5 stars

This isn’t just the story of girls who have gone missing and the search to find them.  It is also the story of a detective trying to heal from a recent tragedy in her life that has brought her back to the town where she was most at peace as a teenager.   Returning to town brings up another tragic event from her early childhood that haunts her still.  So while searching for these missing children in hopes of saving them, she is also searching to save herself.  And of course, there are other characters that need healing from past events as well.

The various storylines interact seamlessly and easily flow from past to present without confusion.  There were a couple offshoot characters whose storylines didn’t come full circle to let us know how things turned out in the end but that’s OK.  Sometimes you just have to use your own imagination to create happy endings for characters.  I prefer that rather than when an author will try to cram everything in at the end and tie it up with a bow.

When you finish the story, make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end as well.  It will give you a little more insight into the historical part of the story and the pieces of herself that Paula McLain has included as well.

 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  I truly enjoyed reading it and will recommend it to others.